Tool for rotating and pulling hydraulic valve lifters out of motor blocks



J 4, 195 J. T. APOSTOLI TOOL FOR ROTATING AND PULLING HYDRAULIC VALVE LIFTER-S OUT OF MOTOR BLOCKS Filed April e, 1955 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,698,445 Patented Jan. 4, 1955 TOOL FOR ROTATING AND PULLING HYDRAU- LIC VALVE LIFTERS OUT OF MOTOR BLOCKS John Thomas Apostoli, San Francisco, Calif.

Application April 6, 1953, Serial No. 347,073

2 Claims. (Cl. 7-1) This invention relates to a tool for pulling hydraulic valve lifters out of the motor block.

In some of the more expensive automobiles the valves are operated through hydraulic valve lifters which are pushed by the camshafts and which in turn push the push rods. The latter operate rocker arms which open the valves. The function of the hydraulic valve litter is to to take care of the wear of the push rod associated therewith. A hydraulic valve lifter slides in a motor block and has its lower end in the crankshaft compartment exposed to oil which is ever present therein. Oil settles on the exposed portion of said hydraulic valve lifters and evaporates being constantly subjected to heat developed by the motor, thus leaving a film of burnt oil which gradually increases in thickness to such extent that it becomes impossible to pull said lifter out of its place. In order to take a lifter out of its place, the film of burnt oil must first be removed and thereupon the lifter is pulled upwardly. The removal of said film is done by rotating said lifted and by holding a piece of fine sandpaper against the surface thereof covered by said film. After the film has been removed, the lifter is pulled upwardly and out.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a tool for rotating said hydraulic valve lifters and for removing the same out of the motor block.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tool of the class described which is simple, easy to operate and eflicient for the purpose intended.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds and the novel features of the device will be particularly pointed out in the claims hereto annexed.

In this specification and the annexed drawing, the invention is illustrated in the form considered to be the best, but it is understood that the invention is not limited to such form; and it is also to be understood that in and by the claims following the description, it is desired to cover the invention in whatsoever form it may be embodied.

This invention is illustrated in an accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 shows a side view of the tool.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section of the lower portion of the tool showing it inserted in a hydraulic valve lifter.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged bottom view of the tool.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic representation of an arrangement of a hydraulic valve lifter. a push rod, a rocker arm and a valve in an automobile motor.

Fig. 5 shows the above described tool inserted into a hydraulic valve lifter in the motor block; and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the lifter.

The tool 1 comprising the subject matter of this invention consists of a shaft 2 having a head 3 at the upper end thereof. The head 3 is formed with a circular margin 5 with turned down edge 6 adapted to retain an upper end of a compression spring 7. The lower end of said spring is placed around a collar 8 of a plunger 10 slidably arranged on said shaft 2. Means are provided to prevent rotation of the plunger 10 on the shaft 2, such as a screw 11 carried by the plunger 10 the end of which screw protrudes into a longitudinal groove 12 on said shaft.

The lower end of said plunger 10 is in form of an inverted frustrum of a pyramid 14. The spring 7 is confined between the circular margin 5 and the base of the pyramid 14 and constantly urges the plunger 10 downwardly.

The pyramid 14 is octagonal in plan view and has sharp raised converging edges 15. The downward movement of the pyramid 14 on the shaft 2 is limited by a spring retaining element which is secured to the lower end of said shaft by a pin 21 or the like. The latter element is in the form of heavy washer with a circular groove 22 thereon and has the portion thereof from said groove downwardly bevelled as shown at 23.

The tool 1 is detachably attached to a rod 26 for the purpose of rotating, pushing and pulling said tool. The rod 26 has a square end 27 which is adapted to enter a square depression 28 in the upper end of the head 3, and be detained therein by a spring pressed ball 29.

The tool 1 is designed to rotate and to pull hydraulic valve lifters 30 which are provided in some of automobile motors and which are slidably retained in the motor block. Fig. 4 shows diagrammatically the arrangement of the hydraulic valve lifter 30 being pushed by a cam 31 and which in turn pushes a push rod 32 also slidably retained in the motor block. The latter rod rocks a rocking arm 33 which in turn operates a valve 35.

It is necessary to mention in order to understand the operation of this tool that the hydraulic valve lifter 30 has a conical cavity 37 win its upper portion which is entered by the lower end of the push rod 32. A retaining spring 38 having two straight parallel sides 39 is carried in the groove 40 in said cavity.

The tool 1 is used in the following manner: The rocking arm 33 is taken off and the push rod 32 is pulled out. Thereupon the tool 1 is inserted in the hydraulic valve lifter 30 so that the pyramid 14 enters the cavity 37. The rod 26 is pushed through the bore which was occupied by the corresponding push rod 32, and its square end 27 is introduced into the square opening 28. Thereupon the rod 26 is pushed downwardly until the bevel 23 forces the parallel sides 39 of the spring 38 slightly apart whereupon they spring into the groove 22. The plunger 10 now is under the pressure of the spring 7, and the edges 15 of the pyramid 14 are forced against the inner wall of the conical cavity 37 thus creating considerable friction therebetween which is more than sufficient for the purpose of rotating said lifter by rotating the tool 1.

The operator thereupon attaches the upper end of the rod 26 to an electric drill. The latter rotates the rod 26, the tool 1 and the lifter 30, while he holds a piece of fine sand paper or emery cloth against the lower portion of said lifter exposed in the crankcase of the motor. A few revolutions of said lifter are suflicient to clean said lower end thereof of the burnt oil film which has accumulated thereon. Thereupon the rod 26 is pulled upwardly and the lifter 30 easily slides upwardly from its bearing surface. Then the tool 1 is disconnected from the rod 26 and from the lifter 30.

I claim:

1. A tool for rotating and lifting a hydraulic valve lifter from a motor block, said lifter having a depression on one end thereof and a spring in said depression, said tool comprising an element insertable in said depression and including means engageable under the spring in said lifter and a spring pressed element biased toward said means and including means for frictional engagement with the inner surface of said depression for rotating said lifter with the tool.

2. A tool for rotating and lifting a hydraulic valve lifter from a motor block, said lifter having a depression on the front end thereof and a stop spring in said depression, said tool comprising a rod, a shaft, means detachably connecting said rod and shaft, means on the lower end of said shaft for engaging under said stop spring when the tool is pressed downwardly into said depression, a plunger slidably mounted on said shaft and including means for frictionally engaging the inner surface of said depression for rotating the lifter with said tool, and a spring on said shaft urging said plunger toward said second mentioned means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 900,120 Parker Oct. 6, 1908 1,776,194 Leftwich Sept. 16, 1930 2,207,888 Jones July 16, 1940 2,215,621 Slavik Sept. 24, 1940 2,380,068 Patton July 10, 1945 2,618,995 Droege Nov. 25, 1952 

